American Circus Educators Magazine Spring 2016 (Issue 1, Vol 6) | Page 2

ABOUT Wel co me TO THE BE AUTIFUL margins Founded in 2014, the American Circus Educators Association (ACE) is a branch of the American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO), a non- profit organization that supports the diversity of circus educators by organizing festivals & conferences, advocating for circus education, generating and sharing resources and information, and setting guidelines for safety in circus education and practice. For information about events, membership, or to get involved, visit americancircuseducators.org STAFF Amy Cohen, Executive Director Sam Boyles, Account Manager Kim Campbell, Editor Lucy Little, Graphic Design BOARD Jesse Alford, President Jenn Cohen, Vice President Maribeth Joy, Treasurer Adam Woolley, Secretary Tara Jacob, Member Shana Kennedy, Member Carlo Pellegrini, Member SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to ACE Magazine are a benefit of ACE membership. Please visit americancircuseducators.org to become a member. SUBMISSIONS We invite any reader with a circus-related story, opinion , review , poem , quote , or artwork to submit inquires to editor@ americancircuseducators.org KEEP IN TOUCH T: 914.441.8834 E: [email protected] W: americancircuseducators.org Twitter: @ILoveAYCO Facebook: americanyouthcircusorganization FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear community, I had my first circus learning experience when I was six. I was at a music festival with my family and there was a juggling station. Someone invited me in to play, and soon enough I was balancing a broom on my chin. The next year my Physical Education teacher introduced circus props into our elementary school class. Gym became my favorite subject (and stayed that way all through school). Years later, I went to Circus Arts Camp at Purchase College where I met my first true circus family. These people were creative, physical, goofy, loving, and fiercely devoted to creating circus experiences for others and being supportive to one other. My circus family had varied circus backgrounds that gave me a diverse perspective—from state circuses in Hungary and Bulgaria to founding members of the Big Apple Circus. From community theater enthusiasts to Ringling Bros. clowns. At circus camp, I felt like I had found my home planet, and gratefully, I've been there ever since. Everyone has their circus story—that person, place, or circumstance that brought them into the circle. So many of you not only have your own circus story, but have dedicated your lives to creating the forum for others to create theirs. Two of my mentors, Kevin and Erin Maile O'Keefe (Kevin is AYCO's founder and Erin is a founding member and our first ever festival director),like to contextualize our role as circus educators and instigators as "creating the container". We create the environment, the structure, and forum for expression, creation, learning skills, and character development. I feel grateful that as you create containers for circus learning in your own communities, AYCO and ACE can work to create a container for all of you to thrive within as a sector. In this issue, we have the opportunity to learn about a variety of pathways to modern day circus life. New pathways are emerging every day, and in the spirit of circus, there are a multitude of ways to blaze your own unique path in circus present and future. Each new pathway requires care and cultivation. Even in our open-minded sector it is easy to judge one route as more valid than another. At AYCO and ACE we believe it is important that we work together to ensure that as each new person finds circus, there is a safe and inclusive forum for them to tap into to learn best practices. Reading about the multitude of access points expressed in this issue - for elders, people coming to circus from other physical forms in adulthood, college students, etc. begs the question− how can we improve access to safety and professional standards for circus people in all settings; the circus studio, the college club, the cooperative, the summer camp? I hope that this issue generates, questions, conversation, and inspiration. Sincerely, PHOTO CREDIT: TERRY CYR Amy Cohen 03